This is the University of Washington application for a Research Core Grant from the NIDCD. The NIDCD funded Research base is composed of 19 grants to 16 investigators supported by $33,515,491 annual direct costs. The Cores will also provide infrastructure support for 5 NIH funded investigators whose research is in research programs, and to stimulate new research initiatives. The Human Subject Recruitment Core will continue a long-standing infant subject pool that is essential for research on the development of hearing and language perception in human infants and babies. Also, databases will be developed on populations of subjects with specific hearing and perceptual impairments. The Computer Resources Core will provide personnel with skills needed for development of software for real-time physiological and behavioral investigations of auditory processing in animals and humans. In addition,, a system and network manager is to be hired to teach and advice investigators on the optimal computer solutions. The Imaging Core will provide personnel and equipment maintenance for programs making extensive use of modern digital microscopic imaging methods including confocal Microscopy, 3-dimensional reconstructions and quantitative analyses of cellular attributes. The Core will also support human brain imaging initiatives. The Mouse Genetics Core will control breeding and DNA screening for investigators using inbred and genetically manipulated mouse strains. Equipment will be provided for rapid analyses of DNA sequences to enhance the efficiency of studies using mouse models of communication disorders. The Research Cores will be supported by an Administrative Core to oversee the operations of each Research Core, organize group meetings, provide clerical, fiscal and personnel support, and prepare reports to funding agency.